The Alcohol Diaries
by goolsbygirl
Summary: When Sakura moves from a small, rural, town into the big city of Konoha to pursue her dreams, she meets Gaara, a late night radio station DJ, and there's an immediate connection. Problem is, he's also her boss. Alcohol, sexiness, and hilarity ensue. Come take part in the madness. R&R! Lemons in later chapters. GaaxSaku GaaraxSakura Reviews are always appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first non-Labyrinth fanfic! I'm pretty proud. I've loved Naruto for years, and Gaara and Sakura are one of my favorite pairings, although they won't really get together until a few more chapters, and yes there will be Lemons! ;) This little fic came to me in the middle of the night. I intend on it being many faceted and multi-chaptered, so stick with it. Updates will be more frequent as spring progresses into summer. As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy.**

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_**Sakura POV**_

My life was finally beginning to look up. My best friend, Hinata, and I had just finished college and were preparing for our move to Konoha. Konoha was the biggest and most advanced city around. Clubs, bars, and a music scene to kill for. The job opportunities were endless. At around 12 hours from where we currently lived, it was civilization in the midst of the sticks. We were so excited.

I had just graduated my fourth year of college, and at nearly 22, I was ready to live a little. Majoring in public relations, I had been offered a job in Konoha hiring people at a local radio station during the weekday, and DJ-ing every other Friday and Saturday night until midnight. It was my dream job.

Hinata, a health junkie, was a personal trainer. When I presented her with the prospect that I was most likely moving to the big city, she made no qualms about wanting to stay and asked if I'd like company. Saying yes was a no-brainer. We couldn't wait to be big girls out on our own. She immediately began looking for a job and found one pretty soon after.

Fast forward two weeks and everything we both own is packed in my car. We have an apartment ready and waiting and a week to get settled in before we start work. We spent our last night separate, her with her parents and me with my mom.

Mom was reluctant to let me go. She knew I had to get out there, make something of myself, but she hated me being so far away. Part of me hated it too. In a way, I really didn't want to leave her, but I was also so ready to start a new life. My mother was supportive, however, and I really appreciated it. She let me go the next morning with a few tears, a big hug, and a kiss on the cheek. I cried the whole way to Hinata's. Upon seeing her, I could tell she had been crying too. Mom's had a way of doing that, I guess.

It wasn't long into the drive, however, that we were both laughing and giddy, singing cheesy songs on the radio. We'd headed out at 8 am, and around 10 we stopped for breakfast.

"Ihop!" Hinata screamed, eyes lighting up. I smirked and pulled in.

Hinata was a super pretty girl. She had the palest purple eyes and white skin. Her hair was jet black and long down her back. She couldn't gain an ounce if all she ate for the rest of her life was bacon. She could rock a band t-shirt and ripped jeans like no one I had ever seen. She looked so different from me, and yet we were so alike. Our biggest difference was that Hinata tended to be soft spoken around people she didn't know, and I was just a big mouth around everyone.

I was hard to miss with bright pink hair and green eyes, both natural. Like Hinata, I needed to get more sun; I was obnoxiously pale. We both wore dark makeup, and had a generally rock and roll outlook on life. I was no where near as skinny as Hinata, but I was small enough to be confident with my own body. I thought I was pretty, most of the time.

I parked the car. Hinata was bouncing in her seat, black tresses bobbing up and down.

"God, I haven't had pancakes in forever!" She exclaimed.

"Me either. I'm starved for some."

We got out of the car and high tailed it inside. Taking a seat, an adorable waiter introduced himself and gave us our menus. Hinata and I spent all of the time meant to peruse the menu, talking about how cute he was, we were both just ordering pancakes anyways.

When he came back to take our order, we giggled and blushed prettily. He gave us a goofy smile and promised our food would be out shortly. When it came, we all but ate the plate it came on. We had spent too much time ogling Mr. Gorgeous and had lost an hour and a half driving time.

After leaving, we stopped for gas and were finally back on the interstate by noon. Ten more hours of blacktop wasn't going to be easy. Hinata dosed while I drove. When she was awake we would talk about all the celebrities we wanted to meet in Konoha, and jam out to 80's classics.

At a little after 6 o'clock, I had driven more that 8 hours of the trip, stopping occasionally for gas. At our next gas break, while Hinata went to go pee, I planted my butt in the passenger's seat and made her drive the rest of the way into Konoha.

When we passed into the city, we both squealed with glee. We were finally here. This was our future. We drove through the city searching for a cheap motel to crash in so we wouldn't have to find our apartment in the dark. The buildings were taller than most mountains, and there were lights everywhere. The city was breathtaking and better than we could have ever imagined. We couldn't keep the dopy grins off out faces.

Deciding on Super 8 in the heart of the city, we parked the car, grabbed our over night bags, and proceeded to pay for the room. I paid for lunch and half the gas, so Hinata offered to get the hotel. The room we got wasn't much. It smelt like cigarettes and disinfectant, but I couldn't complain too much, there was a bed calling my name. We passed out soon after, only exchanging excited smiles and bright eyes before letting our exhaustion take over.

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We got everything inside the apartment in two trips. We'd had the furniture delivered the week before, and the landlord had seen to it being placed where we wanted. The apartment was ridiculously cute, probably because it was more like a loft.

It overlooked the river that ran through Konoha and was only 20 minutes away from both mine and Hinata's work. There were two bedrooms with adjoining bathes, a living room, an office/storage room, and a kitchen with connecting laundry room. Everything was modernly furnished. We had picked out our furniture together, picking shades of black, red, and silver for everything. Hinata had bought most of the furniture. I had supplied everything for the kitchen and gotten the first month's rent. The only furniture I owned was in my room.

By the end of the day we had everything set up perfectly. It was exactly what we had hoped for. The kitchen was filled with dishes, the furniture was all put in place, lamps and décor were placed strategically. Each of our separate rooms was gloriously decorated. The only thing left was the necessary grocery items and cleaning supplies. We decided, however, that we were done for the night. It was still early spring and getting dark too soon to be traipsing around an unfamiliar city at night. We ordered Chinese and vowed to find the Wal-Mart the next morning.

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The whole next week, we worked on making our loft perfect and exploring the city. We became familiar with the quickest way to get to both of our jobs, along with other neat places we discovered in the city. We managed to get our TV and internet hooked up without too much trouble, and changed cell phone providers without pulling our hair out. To be two not so savvy girls in a brand new big city, I thought we were doing pretty good.

The next step was our first day at our big girl jobs. The nervousness the evening before, had me chewing antacid all night. I didn't sleep a wink. I was going to need a very large Bloody Mary to make it through the next morning.

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**A/N: First chapter done! Whoohoo! I think the first chapter is always the hardest and the slowest. I promise it will pick up from here! Sakura meets Gaara in the next chapter and there's also more dialogue. So please just forgive the extraneous description, but it was the easiest way to set the scene. Reviews would be lovely. Thank you so much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Chapter two! Spoliers, Gaara is in this Chapter! Thank you to those reading and reviewing, it's very encouraging. Enjoy.**

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The building that loomed before me had seen more celebrities in a month than I could see in a year watching cable TV. Diamond and Dead Records was the leader in producing everything from lofty folk rock, to psychobilly metal core. They dipped their feet in everything, earning a versatile reputation and hefty bank account.

Diamond and Dead had their own radio station. My heart thundered realizing I worked at that very radio station. I was to DJ for them! Albeit, later in the evening, but still, it was a chance. Hiring people would be fun, I was sure, but my hands couldn't wait to get on a switch board and a panel.

I wanted to scratch records, and deliver clever lines to the public, heralding them with the best music in a century. I wanted them to love me.

The email I had received from corporate directed me to the proper floor and room of my employer. The building was huge, and probably very easy to get lost in.

I checked my cell phone as I walked into the double doors of the building. With plenty of time to spare before 8 am, I decided to forgo the elevators and take the stairs. Hinata would have been proud.

At the 5th flight, I cursed myself. My meeting with my nee boss was on the tenth and top floor, where they kept the radio station. I trudged unhappily in black wedges the rest of the way.

The email from corporate had instructed me that dress code was basically anything that didn't make me look like a two cent whore. Polka dotted high wasted capris, 50's black and red bandeau top, wedges, and I could have been mistaken for a fifties pin up girl. This was my style, classy, slightly edgy, and unapologetically retro.

I had been confident that morning, well up until I had walked into my boss's office. Could you call him that? I had been picturing an older man, in his fifties, strung out on caffeine, and sporting a metallica shirt.

What I got instead was quite possibly the sexiest man I had ever seen. His hair was the most obnoxious shade of red, pale skin, lethal smile, and mischievous, black rimmed eyes. He wore rolled jeans, and was bare foot, obviously comfortable in his office. Her sported a David Bowie t-shirt, and I adored him for it immediately.

He looked at me skeptically as I ogled him. I hoped I wasn't being too obvious, but from his slight smirk I was sure that I was.

"Can I help you, Miss?" he was unswervingly polite and his voice sounded like soft, deep ocean waves crashing. Too sexy.

"Um, yes, Hi I'm Sakura Haruno, your new PR girl." I gave him what I hoped was a dazzling smile.

Recognition flitted across his face, and he returned the smile promptly. I lost my breath. He should be locked up for that smile. How many women had he killed with it?

"Of course, you're a bit early." He said, then proceeded to look me up and down. I blushed, not used to that type of attention. "You're gonna fit in nicely." He said with another smirk. "Come with me."

He stood from his desk revealing a tall, lean, and taught body. He was almost a whole foot taller than me, muscular to a fault. He pants hugged him too tight, hanging low on his hips. I would follow him anywhere.

The trip, however, wasn't long. He led me two doors down from him, to a plain office. There was a desk, computer chair, and a MacBook sitting in a box on the desk. The furniture was black and modern.

"This is your office, you can do whatever you like with it. You have a company budget of $500 to decorate. The MacBook is company issued, but you can take it home. There's a file with some papers under the box detailing your schedule. It is subject to change, but I'll let you know. You get your schedule weekly. Any questions you know where my office is." With that he stalked out of the room, glancing back briefly to give me a reassuring smile.

"Wow…" I breathed under my breath. How would I be able to do anything with tall, dark, and sexy just two doors away? I realized then I didn't even know his name. I scanned my email, but couldn't find it.

Well, I'd find out eventually.

I sat down behind my desk and took out the folder he'd told me about. The first paper in it was a letter.

_Dear Sakura,_

_None of us here are very formal, except with corporate. But only because their snobs. First of all I'd like to welcome you to Dead and Diamond Record Label and Radio Station. Enclosed in this folder is a list of the things you'll be required to do each day. You'll get a new schedule every week. If things change, I'll let you know. We're so glad to have a new PR. Your resume was outstanding, and your college professors had wonderful things to say about you. I know you're gonna make a great addition to our team, and little radio family. Out on the floor, in the cubicles, are some of our tech people, and interns. If you need help, they'll be glad to assist you. Also, the door to your right is Naruto, he specializes marketing. He's a great guy and very helpful. To your left, there is Shikamaru. He's an accountant. He's quiet, but also very kind. The door down from his, is mine. I am always available. Don't hesitate to ask anything of anybody. You'll meet the other main members of the team later. Don't be a stranger and don't be shy. We're one big family. You're going to do great!_

_Gaara_

So that was his name! Gaara. Sexy, like him. I liked it a lot. He seemed very kind, despite his mischievous eyes and bad boy smirk.

My eyes couldn't help but run over the words, _I am always available_. My mind was in a very wrong place. My poor body was in hormonal overload.

Sighing, I tried desperately to focus on the rest of the documents. At the top of each was the day/date, and underneath that were tasks that needed to be completed on that day. There were time slots in which I had to have certain things completeted. My mind swam.

I focused on today, Monday.

8 AM: Introduction. Study your schedule. Meet your peers. (Gaara had obviously typed this)

9 AM: Ask Naruto to call one of the tech guys, so he can set up your computer. We haven't installed a phone in your office yet, it use to be a closet….

10:30 AM: I'm hoping your computer will be set up by this point. If yes, proceed to the first document under your new company email, it should have been in your email from corporate. Fill out the papers in that email, and send it directly to me. gaaraa .org Proceed to my office where I will print these, and have you sign them. Sorry, we haven't gotten you a printer yet either….

If your computer isn't set up yet, proceed to my office anyway so that I can have you fill out the papers from my computer.

11 AM: I don't expect these papers to take you very long. Your lunch is the same time everyday, from 11-12:30. We have a cafeteria on the first floor, and there are plenty of surrounding restaurants. Make a friend, take them with you.

12:30 PM: Staff meeting is every Monday from 12:45 to 2:45. Don't be late. I'll collect you in your office to show you where the meeting room is the first day.

2:45 PM: I have nothing really for you to involve yourself in until tomorrow. I wanted you to take today and familiarize yourself with the rest of the floor. Your day ends at 5 PM. Take the rest of this time till then and get use to the place. Plan out your room design. Annoy Naruto, if he hasn't had half a mind to annoy you yet.

*I will take you into the broadcasting station on Friday and make you familiar with it's interworking's before your first show Friday night.

I finished reading and stacked my papers back up. He was so thorough, so nice. He really wanted me to fit in too. I wasn't really shy, but I was determined to wait as long as I could before scouting out this Naruto guy.

I looked back down at my phone. The digital face read 8:30 am. I had every intention of taking the next 30 minutes to clear my head of my incredibly sexy boss, and let the reality that I was truly living my dream really sink it.

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**A/N: Gaara is a fox! But, isn't he sweet though? It's a bit OOC, but I wanted him to be nice and laid back, but still professional. Yes, the whole Rookie Nine will be in this fic. ****Sakura's first day isn't over yet. I have a lot more planned for her. The next chapter will be exponentially longer, with hopefully a good amount of dialogue. I hope you liked it! Please continue reading! Reviews are always appreciated! Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry for the forever late update my dears. I've been dealing with finals, and taking in my first few weeks of summer with leisure, hope you aren't too mad! Anyways, chapter three for your enjoyment, get ready for some ridiculous flirting ;)**

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Nine AM loomed like spider in the corner. I knew if I left it there and didn't start throwing shoes at it, or in this case face up to talking to someone I didn't know, that it was going to eat me alive. Though, I hoped Naruto wasn't a cannibal. Damn, I'd been watching way too much Hannibal again….Mads Mikkelsen was sexy though…

_Oh gosh dangit, get it together Sakura, just go talk to the boy, it's not like he's a leper! _My inner chided. _Fine_, I skulked back to her, and rose from my desk in search of my newest acquaintance.

Stepping from my office, a few paces to my right, an open door waited. I could hear shuffling from inside and was surprised when soft Morrissey song began drifting from said door. I liked this kid already. With renewed confidence I strutted the few steps left to the door and knocked softly on the doorframe.

"Just one sec," a deep muffled voice called from the form bent under the desk, messing with chords.

I took the fleeting moment to check out the office. Orange walls, indie band posters, same desk and MacBook I had. His desk was messy, typical boy. Pictures littered the walls where Band posters weren't. Comfy, plush black recliners and a matching sofa sat in front of his desk for clients, and I could see another table behind the desk that had a mini fridge and a microwave. Underneath the table were at least twelve industrial sized boxes of ramen. Hinata would have had a fit; she hated that stuff. Always complained about how bad it was for your body. Blah blah blah, that shit was delicious.

The Blond God that rose from underneath the chair and turned to me in a green spinney chair, was possibly the most charismatic man I'd ever met.

"Hey, you must be the newbie! Sakura, right? I'm Naruto." He stood, tall and clumsy, and walked over to me, thrusting his hand out in the process. I shook it firmly like my male friends back home taught me. His smile widened, he was pretty adorable...were those whiskers tattooed on his cheeks? He was hot, not like the demon three doors over though….

"Nice to meet you," I managed, thankfully, without a stutter. " Um, my letter said you could help me. I needed to get my computer set up…."I trailed off, hoping Gaara had filled him in on the fact that I would need his help.

"Oh, yeah! Of course. One minute." He smiled, dropped my hand, and strode over to the phone on his desk. A second later he was talking to someone from IT. I took a minute to study him.

He wore frayed khaki cargo shorts, a t-shirt with Bela Lugosi on it (this was definitely my kind of kid), had a shock of bright blonde hair spiking in every direction, and was also shoeless. Hmm. Odd. Were they environmentalists or something? I glanced around and spotted some beat up chucks behind his desk. Well, at least he had shoes….

Before I could contemplate too much more, he was in front of me again. "Come on Sakura-chan, Lee will be on his way shortly."

I smiled not minding the suffix, "Thank you, Naruto." I began to leave his office and he followed. "You don't have to come, I can find my office again." I giggled.

He gave me an amused look. "Well, I would hope so. Lee is a flirt, a very bad flirt. And I don't mean he flirts with everyone, I mean he's just bad at it. And, well, you're hot, he's gonna hit on you….and I'd like to avoid you pressing sexual harassment charges your first day. Most make it through the first week…"

"Seriously?" I was shocked.

He giggled, "No, silly, but I still don't want him bothering you. He's not a threat, just doesn't have any mojo. Good guy though, wouldn't hurt a fly."

That made me feel better, at least. I didn't need a creepy staler. _Well, Gaara maybe…_

"Sakura, this is Lee. Lee, Sakura. She's not interested, don't get any ideas." The guy I'd just walked into my office to find's, face fell.

Honestly, he flirted with girls? He had to be the biggest fruitcake I'd ever seen. He had a bowl cut, very Spock/Star Trek hair. I resisted the urge to Vulcan salute him, and concentrated instead on smiling and shaking his hand.

When I smiled, his resolve seemed to recover. "Not interested, eh? Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?" He wiggled all too bushy eyebrows, I had some tweezers in my purse….I never trusted anyone with bad eyebrows.

"No, sorry. Not really looking for anyone." I smiled "apologetically" and Naruto winked at me. I damn well was looking for someone, he was two doors over with red hair and eyeliner, and was I seeing things or did he have a tattoo on his forehead. The more I thought about him, the hotter he became.

"Okay, Lee. So how about that laptop?" Naruto rubbed his hands together enthusiastically, attempting to distract Lee from staring at my face, or my boobs. Neither were too disappointing….

I smiled, and studied Lee too, trying to assess him. That's what I did. I assessed people, tried to get in their head. See how they worked, based on how they looked. I found people profoundly interesting, and Lee wasn't lacking in personality.

Aside from the Spock cut, he wore a sickeningly green short suit. As in green suit jacket, lighter green shirt, and green dress shorts. Then came the ungodly orange legwarmers the color of Naruto's walls. This guy was begging for a fashion intervention. Somehow, though, his dorkiness made it work. He too, wasn't wearing shoes…this was becoming more and more interesting.

Naruto pulled my rolling chair out for me and motioned for me to sit while he and Lee stood behind my desk fixing up my computer.

They were done by 10:05 AM, giving me utoplenty of time to fill out the papers that Gaara wanted by 11:00.

Naruto left, dragging Lee out by the ear when he tried to get a date with me, ma Iiking me promise to come to him if I needed anything during the day. I smiled, promised I would, and logged into my fancy new Mac.

This thing was sent from heaven. I loved it. I'd had one in college, but it had gotten stolen a few months ago out of my car during finals week. Thankfully, nothing I hadn't already turned in wasn't on there. Having one back in my possession was a dream.

I logged into my company email. There was a message from corporate with all my forms, and a more recent on from Gaara.

To: Haruno Sakura

From: Sabaku no Gaara

I trust everything is going well. I heard Naruto chastising Lee for hitting on you. I'll talk to him. Let me know if he does it again. I won't have you being harassed, except by me. ;) Now, get to work Mrs. Haruno, I expect those papers in my inbox by 11:00.

Gaara

Did he actually just say he was the only one allowed to harass me? Holy shit. Why did I find that so hot. _Because it was…._ Oh, yeah, it was.

To: Sabaku no Gaara

From: Haruno Sakura

Yes, sir. They'll be ready. I'd have them done quicker if a certain red head weren't distracting me with his emails…

Sakura

I waited a few minutes, but there was no reply. On to my papers I went. I filled out questionnaires about my personality and ethics, reruns of papers I'd filled out before. There were a few about the type of things I looked for when hiring and I answered them honestly. Others were legal papers, saying it was okay to get a copy of my birth certificate, high school transcripts, and a criminal record. I wasn't worried about any of it in the least.

At 10:45, I emailed them to Gaara. Then I panicked. I was going to have to see him. Like, immediately. I wasn't sure if I could deal with that.

Dutifully, however, I trudged to his office. He looked up when I knocked gently on the doorframe. The crooked smile he gave me was heart-stopping, panty-combusting, and ovary-explodingly beautiful. My breath caught at the mischief in his eyes. I was stunned. I have never been stunned by a smile and a look. I hope my panic didn't register on my face.

The whirr and ding of the printer captured his attention, freeing me for the moment, and I sucked in a ragged breath. _Shit he's gorgeous._

He stood with my papers in hand. "If you'd be so kind to sign your soul over now," he said as he looked up. "The dotted line, is waiting."

I nodded mutely and walked to where he'd laid the papers across his desk making it easy for me to sign one right after the other.

"Good," he said once I finished. "You officially belong to Diamond and Dead now, and for all intensive purposes, you currently belong to me." Was I reading too much into this, or was that incredibly sexual?

I didn't care, it was hot. He was hot. Mmmfff.

And he was giving me that crooked, mischievous, get in my bed grin again. Dear God…

"So," he said when I remained obnoxiously mute, "How'd you like Naruto?"

"Oh," I said, thankful for the change of subject. "He's adorable!" Gaara's brow furrowed. Why? "I mean, like a puppy. He's bouncy and sweet. He seems fun, loyal."

"He is," Garaa smiled again; genuinely, this time. "He's my best friend. We've been partners in crime since we were four. His parents adopted me when I was ten, and mine died. I owe him a lot. I'm glad you like him."

The breath whooshed out of me. That was a shock. "That's so sweet." I said, and smiled up at him.

He smirked, "He's a character. He'll annoy the shit out of you too, but he means well. What about Lee, you like him?" He quirked an eyebrow in question as he gathered my papers, stuffed them in a file and sat back down behind his desk. He motioned for me to sit on the red leather sofa in front of his desk before I answered.

I cringed at the question. "He's quite….exuberant, to say the least."

Gaara chuckled lowly. "He's another good friend. Incredibly smart. Ridiculously nerdy. Doesn't have a clue about women."

"Yeah, I can tell." I rolled my eyes, and Gaara gave me a bemused smile.

He glanced down, and then peeked back up at me innocently through thick lashes. He had a pouty face that I knew had gotten him anything he wanted as a child. What I wasn't expecting was the question he asked next.

"So, I distract you Sakura?"

My breath hitched, "Yes," I answered, barely a whisper.

He smirked again, looking all too happy with himself as he leaned back in his chair, hand behind his head. his stomach stretched taut, and from my vantage I could see a peek of pale skin and a dusting of dark red hair leading into his sexy, rugged jeans.

I averted my gaze immediately, cheeks heating. I could sense his smug little grin, when he said, "Good to know. Go to lunch Sakura, I'll collect you for the meeting later."

I flashed out of his office, completely mortified, but not before catching a soft chuckle and the wicked glint in his eye. God, what had I gotten myself into?

To make matters worse, the first thing I though about once safely in my office was that that obnoxious red hair must be natural, if the hair on his stomach was any indication. That led to another blush and near nosebleed and hot flash as I began to muse of wear that cute smattering of tummy hair lead to….

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**A/N: So there's your third chapter. Sorry it's still the first day, but I really like them flirting, and Sakura still needs to meet everyone. The next chapter will be the last of the first day and then things will start getting heated, I promise ;) Thank you for reading/reviewing and remaining faithful to the story, I appreciate it more than you know! Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello my lovelies. Update time! Last chapter of Sakura's first day. Thing will pick up after this chapter, promise! Enjoy!**

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Still blushing profusely, I walked the few feet it took to get to Naruto's door. Besides Lee and the Sex God, he was the only person I knew, and the prospect of eating lunch by myself sounded awful.

He was facing his computer screen when I knocked softly. He looked up with immediately, infectious grin adorning his face, and I couldn't help but smile back. Hinata would go gaga over him. Blondes were kind of her thing.

"What's up Sak?" He asked.

"Nicknames alreasy?" I smirked, walking in and taking a seat in front of his desk.

He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back oF his head. "I do it to everyone, hehe."

"Really? What's Gaara's?" I asked, incredibly curious.

He blushed. "He'd kill me if I told you."

"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad!"

He nodded his head gravely. "It is. I gave it to him when we were four."

"And how old are you now?"

"We're both 28."

"You've been calling him the same thing for 24 years?" Naruto nodded. "If he hates it so much, why does he still let you call him that, then?"

"Sentimental, I guess." He mumbled, looking away.

"Oh, fine. Don't tell me. I'll get it out of you eventually." I gave him a half-hearted glare and he smirked.

"Never ever," he laughed. "Anyways, what's up?"

Oh yeah, I'd come in here for a reason. "You wanna eat lunch with me? Looking like the freak new girl in the cafeteria doesn't appealing. I've already been having first day of school anxiety." I gave him a wink and smiled. He laughed good naturedly at my joke.

"I would, but I always eat ramen. It's my weakness." I think he meant addiction, with the looks of that cabinet back there. "But, you are more than welcome to eat with me here." He gave me a hopeful smile.

"Okay. I love ramen." I smiled back, and he practically bounced out of his chair went to make some.

"Flavor?"

"Oriental, please." I answered. I was a vegetarian. Exactly three minutes and an annoying microwave beep later, we sat across from each other slurping delicious noodles and chatting about classic horror.

I had commented on his Bela Lugosi shirt, which led him to say that Bela's best performance was in White Zombie.

"No way," I said. "I don't care how mainstream it was, he was perfect in Dracula. White Zombie was his worst!"

This lead to talk of other horror movies and, to my relief, he had better judgment when it came to most things regarding the classics. We shared a common love for Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and Carnival of Souls.

Somehow, we got onto the subject of horror movies involving demons and possessions, which seemed all too fitting seeing as how a certain redheaded sexy demon decided to walk in at that very moment.

It was 11:30 when Gaara decided to walk in, brown lunch bag in hand, and plop down in the seat next to mine across from Naruto. Effectively, my insides turned to mush.

"You eat with Naruto?" He asked, pulling a sandwich from the bag.

I nodded, not confident in my voice. I hadn't been expecting to see him for another hour, therefore I hadn't effectively prepared myself to deal with his presence.

He smirked. "You give her Ramen?"

"Obviously," Naruto snorted.

Gaara cringed. "After living with you for 12 years, there's no way I could ever eat it again. I don't know how you do it."

Naruto pouted. "It's fucking delicious, that's how."

"I agree." I mumbled.

He raised what would have been an eyebrow at me, if he'd had one. Holy shit, how had I not noticed that? No eyebrows? Obnoxious red hair? Eyeliner? David Bowie shirt? It all clicked! He was trying to look like Ziggy Stardust! Or Amanda Palmer…

I hoped it was Ziggy, he was hot… and damn, so was Gaara. _Shit,_ I was staring. I quickly averted my gaze to my hands in my lap.

He chuckled lowly. "Finally idiot," he said to Naruto, "someone agrees with you. Though, I thought she'd have better taste than that."

My head snapped up and my eyes flashed. I had great fucking taste in everything. Before I could defend myself, however, Naruto came to my rescue. How chivalrous.

"She's got incredible taste in movies," he said. "I bet she could beat you when we play horror trivia."

His eyes widened. "Is that so? Guess we'll have to invite her the next time we play." He said play like it was a naughty word, and I had to internally fan myself.

They continued to talk comfortably in spite of my new presence. I learned that they ate together everyday. Naruto always ate ramen and Gaara always brought whatever he could find in his fridge that morning. They did this because the cafeteria sucked, and all the restaurants were super posh and expensive. He'd left that out in my letter.

I loved listening to them banter. It was quite adorable, and hot. They argued good naturedly, poking fun at each other, and took every opportunity the could to make me laugh, which was often.

Lunch was over too quick, in my opinion. I enjoyed their conversation greatly. Now it was time for the meeting, which meant more people to meet and more names to forget. Great.

I walked squished between Gaara and Naruto, both of whom were still shoeless, down a long hallway to a large glass meeting room. They were both so tall. I was 5'5 out of heels, and 5'9 in the ones I was wearing. Naruto was at least 6'2, and Gaara was an inch or three taller than him. So attractive! Out of my periphery, I could see the entrance to the radio station and sound booth. I smiled and my heart leapt. Gaara caught the direction of my gaze and smiled dotingly down at me. "All in good time, sweetheart," He smirked, and I blushed. He was just teasing me now! So unfair. Hmmmm, maybe I should tease back….

Shit, Sakura, get yourself together. He is your boss. This is your work. You are here to be professional, not a hormonal fangirl. That smile though…..

I snapped to attention when he ushered me into the glass walled room and began to speak. Fourteen sets of eyes stared as he introduced me. None of them were wearing shoes. "This is Sakura, our new PR girl. So far, she's pretty badass. Please do all you can to make her feel like she's part of our family." He smiled down at me and I attempted to return it under the weight of so many scrutinizing gazes.

"I know you probably won't remember it right away, Sakura," he said, "but I thought in the meeting we could have everyone introduce themselves and tell you what they do, who they are, blah, blah, blah. Sound good? Great, everyone take a seat. Time to get personal!" He gave a wicked grin, and a few of the others chuckled.

To my relief, I once again got squished between Naruto and Gaara. "Alright Sakura, you start. Say your name, what you do here at Diamond and Dead, and something interesting about yourself. Then Naruto, and so on around the table."

I nodded, and flushed. I really wasn't shy around people I knew, but on the spot like this was a bit much. I relented, however, and spoke to the people around the table.

"My name's Sakura Haruno. I do PR here at Diamond and Dead, and I'm gonna DJ on Friday and Saturday evenings. I have more records than brain cells." I smiled, proud of my cleverness and got a few chuckles from around the table. Naruto began and I was relieved to be out of the spotlight.

"The name's Naruto Uzumaki. I'm an accountant here at D&D, and I love ramen! Believe it!"

"That's not interesting dobe, everyone knows that," a young raven haired man next to Naruto mumbled. He straightened up in his chair. He was gorgeous. Nearly as beautiful as Gaara. Black jeans, spiked black hair, Bauhaus T-shirt. Total goth. "Sasuke Uchiha. Head of graphic design. I play guitar in a band called Traitor." He voice was deep and monotone. He sunk back into his chair with a disinterested look.

The intros moved on to a bubbly blonde. Hair in a ponytail, too thick makeup, perfect manicure, designer clothes, and a friendly smile. "I'm Ino Yamanaka. I'm an advertising specialist for the artists we represent at Diamond and Dog. I also own a high end flower shop down town." That explains the expensive garb. She seemed kind. I'd probably like her.

"Kiba Inuzuka. Weeknight DJ. I keep my dog Ankamaru with me at all times." I wanted to ask why, but thought better of it. Kiba looked nice enough, but was kinda creepy. He had shaggy brown hair and triangles tattooed on his face. He dressed like any average Joe off the street. I had to admit, though, his dog was pretty cute.

"Shino Aburame. I DJ alongside Kiba during the weeknights. I, too, have more records than brain cells." He smiled shyly and gave a thumbs up. I returned the smile. Gaara looked annoyed. Shino dressed a lot like Kiba, very normal, except he was wearing sunglasses, which I later found her never took off.

"I'm Rock Lee! I'm Head of the IT Department, and I'm full of energy and youthfulness!" He punched his fist into the air, looking quite happy with himself, smiling brightly. I smiled back a little nervously. Gaara seemed amused. The intros continued.

"I'm Shikamaru Nara. I'm the head of marketing, and I can beat all your ass's in shogi and chess." Well wasn't he a confident little bastard? I'd have to challenge him. I was damn good at chess. He wore skinny jeans and a plaid shirt. His long brown hair was pulled into a ponytail on top of his head. Hipster for sure.

"My name is Tenten. I manage all of our interns. I teach self defense classes downtown." She had a kind smile and a sweet voice. She wore camouflage army pants, a black tanktop, and combat boots. Her brown hair was up in two buns and she wore no makeup. You could tell she didn't take anybody's shit and I liked her immediately.

"I'm Sai. I work with Sasuke in developing and graphic design. I like to do sidewalk art in chalk when the city has festivals." His voice held no emotion. He looked exactly like Sasuke, except they dressed differently. Sai dressed like Shikamaru, and his voice was even more devoid of emotion than Sasuke's, if that were possible.

"Chouji Akimichi. I work in IT with Lee. I like to eat." Chouji was very overweight. The epitome of a computer nerd that probably still lived with his mother and played WOW when he wasn't at work. He was shy and soft spoken, and munching on a bag of chips. He dressed plainly in jeans and a t-shirt.

The next person at the table I knew, and had known since childhood. He was Hinata's cousin. "Neji Hyugga, but you knew that, didn't you Sak? He smirked. "I work in Communications. You've known me long enough to know all my interesting facts."

"Still a smart ass Hyugga," I chuckled, "and I probably know more than you'd like me to." He laughed too, and it was the most at ease I'd felt all day. That was when I became aware of all the confused looks we were getting from around the table. Gaara looked almost put out.

"I hope, for my sake, you won't say divulge anything too personal." He noticed them too, and smiled. "I've know Sakura since we were small. Her best friend is my cousin. They moved here together." I smiled and nodded, slowly they're fish out of water gazes diminished and we moved along.

"I'm Gai Maito. I'm a staff counselor. I, like Lee, am also full of energy and youthfulness!" Another fist pump. He wore the same outfit as Lee, had the same Spock haircut, and was exuberant to a fault. He, however, was probably in his 40's, and honestly he kind of freaked me out. I attempted to smile, but barely made a weak grimace. Gaara noticed and chuckled under his breath. He was driving me crazy.

"I'm Temari Sabaku. I DJ after midnight on the weekdays and all day Saturday until five. I make techno music in my spare time." Gaara winced. I recognized the last name, but couldn't place where. Temari looked cool. She was a raver chick with her spikey pigtails, brightly colored makeup, purple dress, black fishnets, and galaxy boots. She belonged on another planet. I liked her immediately too.

"I'm Kankuro Sabauku, yes she's my sister. I DJ after midnight on the weekends and all day Sunday. I wear more makeup than most women." That was an understatement. I couldn't even tell what he looked like for all the make up. He was a metal head. The Pantera shirt was proof enough. Gaara looked at the two of them like they were alien life forms (Temari could have been) and then sighed. The intros had moved around to him.

"I'm Gaara Sabaku, and sadly those freaks are my older siblings. I'm your incredibly distracting boss that will be DJing with you during the evenings. I was born without eyebrows." Damn, and I'd been hoping for the Ziggy thing. Sigh, he was still hot. My face flushed, he'd added the bit about me being distracted by him. The others didn't seem to catch it, and now that sharing time was over, they talked amongst themselves. He was grinning at me. "Well, you think you'll fit in?"

"You guys make up the most oddly shaped puzzle I've ever seen, so what's one more crooked piece?" I asked.

He smiled, "That's the spirit," then looked at the others. "Alright, brief me," and each of the proceeded to tell him about what had happened the previous week in their departments. It seemed to be all at random.

When the meeting was finished, he gave me an overview. "Keep track of the highlights of your week. If you interviewed anyone, present what you liked about them, why they would be a good asset. If you met with another department on something, give the gist of the conversation. If you did any press work, summarize it. And so on and so forth." He told me this as he walked me back to my office.

He ushered me inside my office. Out of his pocket he fished a piece of paper and handed it to me. My heart raced for a minute, his phone number? "It's a list of everyone and their office numbers and where their office is located on the floor. Just in case you need it."

I sighed, a bit disappointed, "Between you, Naruto, and Neji, I think I'm in good hands." His smile was tight.

"Why didn't you say you knew Hyugga?" Did I note a twinge of jealousy? Couldn't be…

"Slipped my mind. I wasn't really concentrating on him."

Gaara stepped a bit closer, "And what were you concentrating on, Mrs. Haruno?"

I gulped, pulled up my big girl panties, and answered with some out of nowhere courage, "Something that was_ distracting_ me, sir."

I met his eyes, they were full of mirth and mischief. Oh, I was in for it. I really, really was. I had to look away, he was making me blush. His laugh was quiet and beautiful, and he gave me a wicked smile. "How about I distract you for the rest of the afternoon?"

My pulse sped up, he couldn't mean…

"I have some papers I need filed in my office, if you don't mind spending some time there." I sighed in relief, oh thank god.

When I visibly relaxed, he eyes lit up. He was amused. The bastard was doing this on purpose! If he kept up this easing I would die of a coronary before the end of the day.

"Alright, I don't mind."

I spent the rest of the day sitting cross-legged on the floor of his office surround by papers and folders, filing them neatly into the horribly organized cabinet he had in the corner.

After an hour or so, I kicked of my heels. My feet were killing. That reminded me…

I looked up at Gaara. He had sat silent and behaved himself after giving me general instructions of what he would like done. His back was turned away from me and he was engrossed with something on his computer screen.

"Gaara?" I asked tentatively.

"Hmm?" He didn't turn.

"Um, why does nobody wear shoes?"

He laughed without restraint, and turned in his chair, obviously amused. "I was wondering when you'd ask. I told you, we're informal. It's just more comfortable. If you'd rather wear shoes, feel free."

"Heck, if I had known that, these things would have come off the second I finished walking up the stairs."

"You took the stairs?" He asked, incredulous. I nodded. "What the hell for?"

"My roommate is a personal trainer, she's brainwashed me to the point that healthy choice is the natural one."

"Ouch, that must suck," he nodded sympathetically.

"S'not so bad. At least I don't get fat." I laughed and he did too. I put the last file in the cabinet and made to stand. "You got anything else for me?"

His eyes darkened. "Not work, sweetheart." He looked me up and down again, and I smirked this time. I was affecting him too. He recovered himself quickly. Shaking his head he said, "Go home Sakura, your real first day is tomorrow, and you're gonna need some rest."

I slipped my heels back on and he smiled as I left. I gave a little wave from the door, and I could have been imagining it, but I was pretty sure he winked. Oh, God, what had I agreed to?

~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

Filling Hinata in took a good hour. I couldn't remember everyone's name, but I didn't leave anything about Gaara out.

He was going to be the death of me. I knew it.

Hinata made dinner. Vegetarian Enchiladas. She told me about her day, and said she loved her coworkers. She rambled on, but my mind was filled with thoughts of Gaara.

Later that night after dinner and a much-needed shower, I started playing with my new computer.

In the midst of contemplating whether or not to buy a cheetah print couch for my office, my email _pinged._

Clicking the icon at the bottom, I was not ready for the email that popped into my vision.

It was from _him. _From Gaara.

Like I needed to be even more distracted by him.

**~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~**

**A/N: Phew, glad that's out of my system. I had to get all the intros out of the way. Set the scene a bit better for you guys. Things will definitely start picking up from here, I promise. There's going to be non-stop flirting and sexiness in the next few chapters. I really hope you're ready for it! Hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!**


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